The Saints Row Franchise “Is Dead,” Embracer Group No Longer Interested in a Reboot
According to Chris Stockman, design director of the first Saints Row, the franchise is now basically “dead.” This statement comes just months after Stockman had shown excitement about working on a proposal for a new chapter, following a direct request from Embracer Group.
In a message on Discord, Stockman explained that after an initial show of interest, Embracer stopped responding to him. He used the term “ghosted,” meaning to “disappear without giving any explanation.”
A Sad Ending for Saints Row
“Honestly, I think the franchise is dead, unfortunately,” Stockman wrote on Discord in response to a user. “I get the sense that Embracer has zero ability to do anything with it. I wish things were different. I tried my best to offer a path forward but they’ve ghosted me.”
As reported back in November, Stockman had revealed with enthusiasm that he had been contacted to work on a pitch for a new Saints Row, designed as a prequel to the classic series. It did not seem like a random idea: the designer described it as something that had become more than just a dream and spoke about wanting to “get the band back together,” meaning the developers of the first game, to “bring the franchise back to its roots.”
At the time, it was noted that it was too early to celebrate, since there was no guarantee that the project would be approved. Unfortunately, that warning now appears to have been justified.
Adding to the uncertainty, Saber CEO Matthew Karch said last year that rising development costs have made it nearly impossible for franchises like Saints Row to survive, arguing that only GTA can afford such massive budgets.
